The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-08-12
Wealth and Poverty.

1t is hard to be poor, but even hard
er for some to be rich, for they must
have to stihe all the finer instincts of
their natures in its greed and hoard.
They cannot live longer in the old
home where they were reared in pri-
vation and obscurity. The old friends
who knew them at that stage Of exist
ence must be ignored despite tender
memories and associations and if they
happened to be born in a log cabin, as
was the great Webster, they dislike to
hear old incidents narrated that would
indicate its early architecture. They
are secretly satisfied when they hear
of the demise Of the old settlers, for
old people remember too much and
are prone to dwell upon the past and
its events which are not always agree
able to the fastidious ear Of the fortu-
nate possessor Of thousands. There
are but few evils to which wealth is IL
stranger: the poor are exempt from
many. 1t is not only how gain shall
be accumulated. but how it shall be
preserved from trapacity or invested
in safety: this is the consuming care
of many who seem to forget the uncer-
tainty of their life tenure, and think
only of the means they should adopt
to hold the treasure they have toiled
so long and arduously to amass.
They scorn those who have not been
so fortunate in laying up their CLEAN
ings, and are unwilling to help them
under difficulties as they feel no pity
for those who have perhaps scorned
the low trickeries and evasions of truth
that helped to fill their own purses.
Wealth is a foe to industry as its ac-
QUESTION removes all incentives to ac-
ton the strongest of which is to secure
comfortable living or competency.
1t begets a love of ease and sensual
indulgence that is an enemy to health
and 10 the formation of Il strong decl-
ded character. ..s..zs.--.s..s,..s....s
1t often proves ii foe to mental M
provement, as its possessor Is apt to
imagine his wealth is all that is nee
essarv to recommend him to the respect
and confidence of the world, hence the
pitiable blending of money and lmbe-
cilitv which we so often deplore.
The rich man. it is true, has fine Vi
ands and clothes, but he can only eat
certain quantity and wear but one
suit at time. He has fine houses,
costly pictures and furniture, but he
is only sheltered from the weather like
other men, and can only look at his
fine things, privilege accorded the
poorest. ,
He can ride no easier in his fine car
riage than the poor man does III the
omnibus, and all his money cannot buy
an hour of time or defray the transpor-
tation of his treasures beyond the grave.
! Men trust to their riches in every
emergency, and the religion that teach
es us to cast our helplessness upon a
higher Power has to them but little
value. and to find an humble consist
ent Christian in this class Of persons
| is almost as rare as to find fire IN a
snow bank.
When our great men and women can
be manufactured out of metal, 1t Is
time for us to look upon humanity as
worthless fabric that has no value
apart from the tinsel and garnlsh trap
pings that men employ in its ornamen'
tation.
Aside from the high functions OF
his stewardship, the rich man should
not value himself above his fellows
and when he fails to discharge the sol
emn duties of his responsible calling,
he is more to be contemned and pitied
than his poor neighbor who dispenses
his little charities and eats his hard
earned bread with an humble, thank
full heart.